Fuel and process of making the same



Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED sTA rEs PATENT OFFICE. v

GRANT HAMMOND,-OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO FUEL DEVELOPMENT.

CORPORATION, OE WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FUEL AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME.

No Drawing.

My invention relates particularly to fuels utilizing fluid or liquidsaturated hydrocarbons of the homologous series, particularly suchhydrocarbons as kerosene and gasoline,

the object of my invention being to add to these or similar fluids asubstance which will prevent what is known as knocking when used in-aninternal combustion engine or similar prime movers, and more particu-'larly in automobile engines. A further object of my invention is toproduce a fuel which will minimize and practically prevent the formationof carbon in an inter-nal combustion engine without any deleteriouseffects on the surfaces of the piston and cylinder.

Heretofore, many attempts have been made to produce a fuel having theadvantages set forth. It has been proposed to cause commercial alcoholtomix with hydrocarbons by dehydrating the alcohol through the use ofcalcium oxide and also through the use of calcium carbide either priorto or at the same time that the alcohol and hydrocarbons are mixedtogether. Processes of this type, however, are expensive and result' inresiduums being retained in the mixtures, particularly acetylene, in thecase where calcium carbide is used.

It has also been proposed to use as ingrediouts mixed with liquidhydrocarbon, iodine, tetraethyl lead, aniline and various otherchemicals. However, these have been found to be unsatisfactory becausethey produce efi'ects which renderthem undesirable. Such 5 effectsinclude chemical actions on the surface of the cylinder walls, pistonsand valves, bad odors and obnoxious gases issuing from the exhausts ofinternal combustion engines. Such-proposed compounds also usually con-40 tain or involve ingredients which materially -increase the cost ofthe fuel finally produced.

I have found that when anhydrous ethyl alcohol is mixed with liquidhydrocarbons so that it is completely blended therewith,

the disadvantages above mentioned are entirely eliminated, and,furthermore, the compression may be greatly increased prior to theexplosion of the mixture in an internal combustion engine. I

Heretofore, one difficulty in using anh drous ethyl alcohol has residedin the di cultyand expense of eliminating the water content from thecommercial forms of ethyl alcohol, which usually are about" 190 to 5:;195 proof, and which therefore contain Application filed August 6, 1925.Serial No. 48,589.

from 5% to 2 7 of water. This water content obviously constitutes aningredient which prevents blending of the alcohol with the hydrocarbonsinto which the alcohol is introduced, and has been a source of muchtrouble in efforts to form such mixtures.

I have discovered a method by which ethyl alcohol of from 185 to 195proof or even more dilutedalcohol may be used in gasoline, in kerosene,or mixtures of gasoline and kerosene, without retaining thedisadvantages of the presence of water. My improved process forproducing this result may be described as follows:

I preferably mix commercial ethyl alcohol with a liquid hydrocarbon suchas gasoline and other hydrocarbons which are miscible therewith andcause the alcohol to blend therewith so that it does not separatetherefrom under conditions of temperature. and pressure to which thesame may be subjected under normal use.

For this purpose I introduce into a closed retort or autoclaveapproximately 95% of commercial gasoline and 4 to 7% of commercial ethylalcohol. The retort should not be completely filled with the mixture butshould have a vacant space above the liquid amounting to A; or A; of thevolume of the retort. The retort is closed and subjected to a heat bymeans Offitfilll jackets or pipes or other suitable heating means sothat the pressure is raised therein to about 25 pounds per square inchcorresponding .to a temperature of about 145 F. This pressure is not atall critical but may be varied from 10 to 35 or 40 pounds pressure andcorresponding to about 180 F. Without materially changing the eifect onthe ingredients introduced. The pressure on the contents of the retortis maintained for a short time, preferably from one-half an hour to anhour, and then the, retort and contents are allowed to cool to normalatmospheric temperature. and pressure. The mixture of alcohol andhydrocarbon thus obtained is decanted,

.le'avlng as a residue at the bottom of the retort, the water that hasbeen separated from the alcohol. This water may contain a slight amountof alcohol which has not been absorbed. by the hydrocarbon, but in thecourse'of my experiments I have found that water contains but a slightamount of the alcohol- .which was originally introduced.

As a result of the above process I have found that the alcohol has beencompletely absorbed by the hydrocarbon and a homogeneous solution of thehydrocarbon and the alcohol is formed so that the same will remain as astable solution and will not separate under normal atmosphericconditions.

I am not aware of the definite chemical or physical principles uponwhichthe action above described is based. It may be that the lighterhydrocarbons and the alcohol evapo rate from the surface of the mixtureand the alcohol being anhydrous, immediately mixes with the hydrocarbonvapors, the molecules of which when so associated are re-absorbed by thehydrocarbon after which more alcohol and hydrocarbon are evaporated,combined and absorbed by the mixture. This process may take placeuntilsubstantially all of the alcohol has been combinedyvith hydrocarbonvapors and absorbed in the liquid hydro-' carbon, particularly since vitappears that the molecules of alcohol have a greater aliinity for themolecules of hydrocarbon than they do for the molecules of Water at thetemperatures and pressures mentioned.

'It will thus be appreciated that I have produced a hydrocarbon fuelwithout the use of other ingredients than those involved in 'the mixtureitself, and by a process which is extremely simple and one which may berapidly and economically carried out. It will be apparent that theproccss'may be used in connection with any of the lighter hydrocarbons,such as benzol and benzine, as well as with connnercial gasoline,'whichit will be appreciated at the present day, contains a considerablepercentage of kerosene.

It will also be apparent that kerosene may also be added to the mixturethereby reducing tlie first costof the raw materials. It will also beapparent that other alcohols, such as methyl alcohol, which also mixeswith water, may be used in the fuel and mixed withhydrocarbons as-abovepointed out.

I have found that the lighter hydrocarbons, such as gasoline, and ethylalcohol, blended by the above process, makes a very superior fuel. It iswater-white and is perfectly clear as gasoline itself. It produces amixture of very low viscosity as may be easily determined by shaking abottle of the mixture so as'to produce a. foam or froth which is veryrapidly dissipated. \Vhen my improved fuel is used in internalcombustion engines, such as automobile engines, there is no tendency toproduce knocking and I have found, as a matter of fact, that theknocking has been eliminated in an engine which has previously becomebadly fouled with deposits -of carbon. The formation of carbon depositsin an engine in which my improved fuel is used, is completely prevented.

In using the term hydrocarbons I wish it to be understood that liquidhydrocarbons of the unsaturated or ring series, such as benzole andbenzine, arecontemplated as well as those of the parallin series orhomologous series.

Having thus described the manner of carrying out my improved process andthe fuels resultin therefrom. what I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent is:

1. The method of compounding fuels which comprises adding to commercialgasoline a small quantity of water soluble alcohol, placing the same ina closed retort, applying heat thereto to produce a pressure oftwentyfive pounds to the square inch, more or less, then cooling tosubstantially normal atmospheric temperature and pressure, and thendecanting the mixed alcohol and hydrocarbon.

2. The method of compounding fuels which comprises adding to commercialgasoline a small quantity of-ethyl alcohol, placing the same in a'closed retort, applying heat thereto to producev a pressure oftwenty-five pounds to the square inch, more or less, then cooling tosubstantially normal atmospheric temperature and pressure, and thendecanting the mixed alcohol and hydrocarbon.

3. The method' of. compounding fuels which comprises addingto commercialgasoline about five per cent of commercial ethyl alcohol, placing thesame in a closed retort, applying heat thereto to produce a pressure voftwenty-five pounds per square inch, more

